Noncorrosive electrical connector



l Allg- 1, 1939. c. c. TOIBERG :TAL 2,168,250

NONCCRROSIVE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed May 4, 193,8 y

VINVENroRs ATTOR N EYS Patented Aug. 1, 1939 UNITEDY STATE ,NONCOBRQSIVE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Carl C. Toiberg and Benjamin A. Koei-ner, Glendale, Calif., asslgnors of one-fifth to Rose A.

- Toiberg, one-lfthto Loraine I. Koerner, and

one-lifth to Jerrell Babb Application May 4, 193s, serial No. 206,045 Y 2 Claims.

This invention relates to electrical connectors,

and its general object is to provide a connector for any electrical purpose, but is primarily de- Y signed for storage battery cableterminals, in

5 that it prevents corrosion and can be easily and expeditiously applied and removed with respect to the battery post, yetcasual removal or displacement is practically impossible.

An important object is to provide an electrical connector in the form of a spring clamp that sets up a gripping association with the post and includes means made from insulating or nonconducting material, for housing the post and metallic parts of the connector to protect the l5 same from dirt and other foreign matter, as well as to exclude moisture and especially air therefrom, so as to eliminate the formation of deposits andcorrosion of the-parts, with the resultV the post and metallic parts are retained in a clean 20 condition at all times to not only assure proper operation of the parts, and a free flow of current therethrough', but also prevents deterioration thereof.

A further object is to provide an electrical connector or terminal clamp that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and extremely eiiicient vin operation, use and service..

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, lllustrated'in the accomy panying drawing and specically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference 'Y will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein l like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which: Figure lis a sectional view taken through the connector with parts in elevation and illustrates 40 the same applied to a post of a battery.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the connector with the'post in section. y

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a view illustrating the manner by which the connector can be applied and removed with respect to the post, by the use of ya tool. which is shown as being a valvelifting tool. K While we have illustrated our connector for use with cable terminals forfstorage batteries, we want it understood that it can be used for any suitable electrical purpose, and ,referring to the drawing in detail, the letter A indicates a battery post and B a cable of the usual construction.

The connector or cable terminal clamp which forms the subject matter of thepresent invention includes.a hollow elongated body l'prefer- 5 ably made from insulating material and provides a housing having an enlarged portion 2 in the form of-a cap or hood shaped to snugly fit the major portion of the post A and to completely enclose the same, inY that the cap portion is 10 rounded and slightly tapered toward the flat closed top 3 and has an opening inthe bottom to receive the post therein, as clearly shown in .Figure l.

The remaining portion of the body is of cylinl5 drical formation and extends horizontally from the4 cap portion, with the lowerportion'thereoi elevated aboveA the lower end of the cap portion, so as to provide ample space between'the cylindrical portion and the battery, as shown in Figure 20 l. The outer end of the cylindrical portion is open, but is restricted by an annular flange 4 providing an interior shoulder.

Mounted in the cylindrical portion for slidable movement through the ilange 4 is the shank 5 25 of a plunger clamp that'includes a head 6, formed on the shank to provide a shoulder at the juncture of the head therewith, as best shown in Figure l. The head is shown as being of arcuate formation but in any event has an arcuate v30 outer face curved to follow thecurvature of the post A, and the face is preferably' grooved as at 1, so as to not only set up a binding engagement with the post, but also a gripping association therewith. 35

. Surrounding the shank and having its end convolutions engaging the shoulders provided bythe head i and the flanged, is a. coil spring 8,. for

urging the head in binding and gripping association with the post, as best shownin- Figure 1. 4o

While we` have illustrated a coil spring for that purpose, it will be obvious thatA other resilient or spring means may be employed.

The extending end of the shank 5 is reducedl Aand threaded to provide a stud 9 whichv has 45 threaded thereon the nipple I0 of a coupling 'collar Il of the cable B which is soldered or otherwise secured in the collar, asbest shown in Figure 1. t 1

Surrounding'the coupling collar is a sleeve I2 60 that is likewise formed from insulating material, for cooperation with the housing for enclosing and protecting the metallic parts Vof our connector, andthe post A, from foreign matter, and

particularly to l exclude moisture and air there- 55 l0 l plunger clamp against the action .of the spring from, to prevent corrosion thereof, brought about by oxidation or other causes. The exclusion of air is especially true with respect to the post A, in that the lower end of the cap portion snugly fits the post support and reinforcing member C thereof, as shown in Figure 1.

-'I'he outer end of the cylindrical portion is laterally recessed as at I3 upon opposite sides, to provide shoulders, to facilitate the application of a tool D to the connector, for moving the spring exerts sufficient pressure against the head,

to prevent any possibility of casual removal or displacement of the connector with respect to e the post.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

`It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction andin the combination land arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within theV scope of -the appended claims.

What we claim is:

. 1. A non-corrosive electrical'connector for a storage battery cable, comprising a,l onepiece housing of insulating material including a closure cap portion having an open lower end, a cylindrical portion formed on the cap portion for disposal laterally thereof and having an open outer end, said cap portion shaped for loosely fittingly receiving a post of a battery therein and being of a length for the lower end thereof to engage the top of the battery-for the housaieaaso o ing to completely enclose the post to exclude foreign matter therefrom, a flange restricting the open outer end of the cylindrical portion and providing'a shoulder, a plunger clamp in the housing and including a shank mounted for slidable 4movement in the cylindrical portion and through the open end thereof, a head formed on the shank and having a grooved arcuate outer face for cooperation with the cap portion to set up a-cl'amping engagement .with the post, said head providing' a shoulder at-its juncture with the shank, a coil spring surrounding the shank and engaged with the flange and shoulder for urging the head against the pos't, a cable cou-V pling member detachably secured to the shank, and insulating means surrounding and enclosing the extending end of the shank and the vcoupling member.

2. An electrical connector for a battery cable, comprising a hou'sing of insulating material and including a tapered closure cap portion for loosely ttingly receiving and completely enclosing a battery post, a cylindrical portion formed on and laterally extending from the cap portion and having an open outer end, spring pressed clamping means slidably mounted in the-housing and including a shank extending through the open end, a head on the shank and having an arcuate outer face curved to fit the post for cooperation with the cap portion to set upa clamping en'- gagement therewith, cable connecting means including a collar for securely receiving a cable therein, a nipple formed on said collar andk 

